Fitness Blogger Died From Whipped Cream Dispenser Explosion

So sad.

French blogger and influencer Rebecca Burger has died after a whipped cream dispenser exploded while she was using it, news reports confirm. Rebecca, who founded the travel and fitness blog Rebecca B, was in her hometown of Mulhouse on Saturday when the culinary device burst and she was struck by its gas capsule, which "exploded and struck Rebecca's chest, causing her death," according to BBC. Although Rebecca was rushed to the hospital, the 33-year-old died the next day.

Rebecca amassed an impressive social media following, know to her fans as a fitness icon and passionate explorer, documenting her travels across Bali, from Phuket to Zurich. She regularly updated her blog and Instagram with content about what she was eating, how she was dressing and where she was going, for an audience of over 150k followers. Now, that feed has been taken over by a family member, who has shared an image of the kind of device that killed Rebecca to warn her fans, followed by an announcement confirming the tragedy..

Of course, the social media community has responded by flooding Rebecca’s feed with messages to express their shock and heartfelt condolences to her family. Grief-stricken commenters remember Rebecca as “radiant” and “beautiful,” and a “magnificent person.”

So how can this happen from a can of whipped cream?

The device Rebecca was using is called a whipping siphon, which is commonly used in the culinary world or on cooking shows. According to the French magazine 60 Millions de consommateurs, which is a guide for consumers, these utensils can be dangerous during use because the plastic head of the apparatus is sometimes too fragile to resist its building pressure, causing the siphon to explode and injure — or in the case of Rebecca, kill — the people around it. Recent incidents include the loss of an eye, broken teeth, and multiple fractures in the face or chest.

The magazine also reports that, between 2009 and 2013, about 15 brands have put out defective products on the market. There was a product recall for siphons in 2013 made by the brand Ard’Time, which is what Rebecca was using the other night.

But Ard’Time failed to take responsibility for the incident in a statement earlier today to French news source l’express:

“Ard’time is aware of this incident and unfortunately can only deplore it, even if at this stage there is nothing to establish a link between this accident and our brand.”

While an investigation has been opened draw attention to the circumstances surrounding Rebecca’s death, this isn’t the first major recent incident related to an Ard’time siphon. Just three months ago, 60 millions received a report from a woman who was also struck in the heart due to a faulty siphon. She stayed in the hospital for five days in a semi coma and needed two operations.